The Family-Run Companies that Rule the American Outdoors

Hilleberg Keron Tent

The Hillebergs released their first tunnel-shaped tent, the Keron, in 1980, nine years after the company's founding. Little has changed to it in the years since, but the roomy 3-and-4 person model has become a standard choice for polar adventurers due to its extreme durability and wind-resistant design. Of course, the all-season tent works on your more common summer weekend expeditions too. "It's still the tent I grew up in," says Petra Hilleberg. "Most of the bigger companies will change their tent models just to change them, and they'll get publicity for it, but we do it differently." says Hilleberg. "Other companies just send their sketches to Asian factories to be produced, but our development process, including testing, takes years. It's all done in-house." [FRom $895; hilleberg.com]